If you own a business or a commercial building, there are doors open to you that may be closed to many others. Finding yourself in the position to make a difference, you may have already considered promoting green business practices in order to help reduce your environmental impact. However, it may be necessary to consider what you can do and prioritize in order to make the largest difference you can for your investment.

Benefits of Sustainability

As a business or building owner, you have control over two large sources of greenhouse gases: buildings in the commercial or residential sector, and electricity usage. This means that you have the power to make a difference, not only through direct changes, but possibly by cultivating more eco-friendly and civic-minded employees. Creating programs and investing in technologies that are green can not only improve your ecological footprint, it can also save you money and improve your business. Programs that reduce waste save you money directly by decreasing demand for supplies or utilities, while other types of changes can improve the mood and morale of your employees or create waves of positivity in the wider community. 

Reducing Waste

There are many ways to reduce the amount of water, electricity, and paper your office building uses. Simple and inexpensive options that can help you get started include powering off computers and other equipment as possible when they are not in use, replacing the light fixtures in your building with energy-efficient LED’s, and encouraging the use of digital over printed files and communications. If you are ready to invest in something more, you can save money on electricity by installing commercial solar panels or decrease water use by installing eco-friendly toilets and sinks or adding water-bottle filling stations. 

Recycling

While reducing initial use is always best, recycling is an important follow up if you want to reduce your building’s waste production. Offering recycling at your location is essential, and employees will appreciate the option. While paper recycling is the most common form in office buildings, including recycling stations for aluminum and plastic are also important and widely appreciated by most employees. Make sure that your recycling stations are in an easily accessible, central location and that they are well labelled and advertised. Offering recycling is only useful if would-be recyclers are aware of the option. If you’re interested in taking your recycling to the next level, consider including a separate category for compostable organic matter. Some offices have used composting and recycling to virtually eliminate their waste output.

Quality of Life Improvements

Some rarely considered options can allow you to improve the quality of life of your employees while also allowing them to reduce their carbon footprint. For example, decorating your office space with plenty of live plants can not only provide additional oxygen and give you a place to use your compost, there are also proven health benefits to working around plants. You may also want to consider allowing or encouraging employees to work from home. While this does introduce a small management challenge, it provides options that could improve your employee’s job satisfaction while also reducing the fuel used in commutes to your office.

Working to generate and encourage sustainability in your commercial building can improve the quality of life of those who work there, benefit your community and even save you money over the long term. Offering a work environment that fosters happy, healthy, and earth-positive employees and customers will offer you business benefits in the form of increased productivity, and possibly even increased spending, in addition to your own satisfaction and peace of mind.